Ram Jethmalani's jibes at politicians

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Last Updated: Tue, Nov 27, 2012 15:48 hrs

Suspended BJP MP Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday rued his foray into politics and took a dig at politicians saying when one of them drowns in a river, "it's pollution and when all of them do it's the solution".

"Politicians are not going to solve the problems of the world. Politicians are a class to which I plead guilty...My only extenuating circumstance is that I am more of a lawyer and very much less of a politician and I am not, therefore, a successful politician in the normal sense of the word," Jethmalani said.

The senior jurist, however, refused to answer queries posed on recent controversy BJP over his demand for the resignation of BJP President Nitin Gadkari and defending, at variance with the party's stand, the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as CBI Director.

BJP has suspended Jethmalani from the party and asked him to respond to a show cause notice within 10 days as he would not be expelled from the party on charges of indiscipline and anti-party activities.

Speaking at a function, organised by the National Bar Association of India to celebrate the Law Day, the senior lawyer shared a joke saying "if a politician drowns in a river, it is a case of pollution and if all of them drown, then it is the solution."

Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Rana Bhagwandas also spoke at the function and thanked Pakistan establishment for making him the head of the judiciary there.

Jethmalani launches fresh attack on BJP leadership

Terming his suspension from the BJP as "ultravires, Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday mounted a fresh attack on the party leadership accusing Nitin Gadkari of treading on the path of suicide and dragging the party with him.

In a strongly worded letter to Gadkari, Jethmalani also alluded to the alleged role played by Arun Jaitley in the CBI director appointment row.

"Your order of suspension is ultravires and usurpation of the power of the Parliamentary Board. Besides no situation had arisen in which you should have proceeded without speaking to me and complying with ordinary decencies of a quasi-judicial office which you hold," the suspended party MP said.

He maintained that he is "totally indifferent" to the step taken by Gadkari as his standing in the legal profession and in politics as well as the affection and respect that he enjoys from sections of the people of India does not depend on his membership of Parliament.

Making a scathing comment, Jethmalani said in his letter, "I am convinced that you are firmly set on the path of suicide and you are determined to drag the whole party with you. 'Vinash kal Vipreet Buddhi (when one is set to be doomed he loses his mind)' is an old maxim."

He also said he suspects Gadkari is prejudiced against him and hence took this action of suspending him.

Levelling charges against other senior party leaders, Jethmalani has said Gadkari has suspended him on the advice of leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaitley.

Jethmalani has also referred to the controversy over the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as the new CBI director and alluded to the alleged role of Jaitley in the litigation filed by his rival and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.

"The litigation instituted by Mr Sinha's rival is too notorious a fact not to be known to our party leaders," Jethmalani said.

He claimed that the advocates appearing for the rival officer have been virtually Jaitley's "juniors."

"It is very improbable that the litigation before CAT was not known to him and I presume that you (Gadkari) have also acted on advice of Mr Arun Jaitley," he charged.

"I did not know until I learnt from the press that the appointment of the new incumbent (to the post of CBI director) was opposed by our leaders on some different grounds," Jethmalani said.

He also complained to Gadkari that though he is a senior Rajya Sabha member and a founder of the BJP, Jaitley and leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj did not discuss the Lokpal Bill with him.

Jethmalani slams Gadkari, Shushma and Jaitley

Jethmalani on Tuesday again hit out at BJP president Nitin Gadkari along with Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj while declaring that he was ready to face expulsion from the party.

The noted lawyer also told the media that he had sent a letter to Gadkari that he would not be able to reply to the show cause notice served on him within 10 days and sought time till Dec 31.

Insisting that he had the right to speak freely on any issue, he said: "Opposition does not mean opposition for the sake of opposition. I am a man of common sense and intelligence. I have a right to express myself."

Jethmalani was served the formal notice Monday and asked to explain why he should not be expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party for "anti−party" activities.

A vocal critic of Gadkari, Jethmalani got into trouble vis−a−vis the BJP after he questioned the attack on the government by Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj over the appointment of a new CBI director, Ranjit Sinha.

On Tuesday, Jethmalani said he stood by his defence of Sinha, adding it was a wise government decision.

"For a change, this PM has done a good job. (By appointing Sinha), he has stopped a tainted officer from taking up the job (of CBI director)," he said.

This, he said, could not be interpreted as a criticism of the two BJP leaders in the two houses of parliament. "Where is the question of assault on Jaitley and Sushma (Swaraj)?"

At the same time, he made a scathing attack on Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, saying he would not accept any unilateral order framed by them.

He also accused all three of them of damaging the BJP's interests by their conduct.

"I cannot account for their lack of wisdom," he said. "Even a Congress agent won't be able to do such work (to benefit the Congress).

"I am clear that their actions have enormously damaged the BJP's reputation, have caused irretrievable harm to the party. Today the common man says there is no difference between the Congress and the BJP."

Asked if he was targeting Gadkari, Jethmalani said: "All three of them, Gadkari in particular."

He defiantly added: "I am ready for expulsion."

But he said he was yet to get the show cause notice. "If there is something for me to reply, I will reply. Otherwise I will tear it and throw it away."

He said it would not be possible for him to reply to the show cause notice within 10 days "as I am a busy lawyer, a busy politician...

"I have sought time till end of December," he said. "I am well known in India, everyone knows I am a busy person."

Jaitley refuses to comment on Jethmalani charges

Jaitley on Tuesday refused to get into a war of words with Jethmalani, who has accused him of having a role in the CBI Director appointment controversy.

Replying to a question about Jethmalani, who has been suspended from the party, Jaitley said, "I don't think he (Jethmalani) deserves the reply any more".

Asked whether BJP was lenient on Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha, who have also demanded the resignation of Gadkari, he said, "well we do not discuss all these issues".

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

In a strongly worded letter to Gadkari, Jethmalani has alluded to the alleged role played by Jaitley in the CBI director appointment row.

He has said Gadkari suspended him on the advice of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley.

Jethmalani referred to the controversy over the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as the new CBI Director and alluded to the alleged role of Jaitley in the litigation filed by his rival and Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.